Monday, December 04, 2006

Writing Life

Lori has interesting things to say that IMHO deserve a wider audience. Head on over and check her out. One of the genuine benefits to struggling with the written word is the community of amazing, talented and generous women who've shared the same journey.

One piece of advice I've heard over and over is write what you like to read - advice that always makes me want to gnash my teeth, pull out hair and pound on the floor. I read everything - there's no help there. At least not for me. In fact - I really admire styles and craft of literary art that I have no talent for, none.

Finding a match between your voice and readers who enjoy that sub-sub-sub-genre and a publisher who is producing for those readers is a tough assignment. Still working on that one.

The biggest surprise about publishing so far? The speed - or lack of same. The industry is acquiring books for 2008 and beyond as I type. This year it took nine months to get a response (negative) on one story from one publisher. Multiple submissions are frowned on, so what's the struggling writer to do?

2 Comments:

I completely agree with you on the "write what you like to read" notion. In all honesty, my favorite reads are horror, paranormal and suspense. I can't write any of them. Seriously. Imaginations like Dean Koontz and Stephen King are born, not made. There's just no way I could come up with books that do any justice to that genre.

Granted, I would like to try a ghost story romance some day. I think we can "lean" in directions. But really, I think we need to write what we're good at.

And what to do with that 9-month wait? I spent much of it writing the next novel, but when you write fast, they can pile up waiting on publishers. I think that's the hardest part of writing. I don't know how patient a group of people we are!